Panoramic photography



April 19, 1966 R. WAROUX PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY '7 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed Jan. 7. 1960 I N VEN TOR Raoul Waroux FIG. 3

ATTORNEY April 19, 1966 R. WAROUX PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY 7 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed Jan. 7. 1960 km? Z P 2 INVENTOR: Raoul Waroux BY April19, 1966 R. WAROUX PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original FiledJan. 7. 1960 FIG. 6

INVENTOR:

Raoul Waroux /34 BY UM A ORNEY April 19, 1966 R. WAROUX PANORAMICPHOTOGRAPHY 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.-

Original Filed Jan. '7. 1960 I N VEN TOR: Raoul Waroux um April 19, 1966wARoUX 3,246,588

PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed Jan. 7. 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 i I Il I I l lllllllmllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII FIG.

224 INVENTOR:

Raoul Waroux BY \'92 L/mm M April 19, 1966 R. WAROUX PANORAMICPHOTOGRAPHY '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Jan. '7, 1960 INVENTOR! OUXRaoul War ATTORNEY April 19, 1966 R. WAROUX 3,246,588

PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY Original Fi led Jan. 7. 1960 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7FIG. I8

INVENT OR. Raoul Waroux il/awn.

United States Patent Office 3,246,588 PANORAMIC PI-IOTUGRAPHY RaoulWaroux, Paris, France, assignor, by mesne assignments, to InventionsFinance (Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original applicationJan. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 1,105, now Patent No. 3,142,237, dated July 28,1964. Divided and this application July 16, 1964, Ser. No. 392,364 8Claims. (til. 95-18) This is a division of application Serial No. 1,105filed January 7, 1960, now Patent No. 3,142,237. This invention pertainsto photography, and especially to novel and improved arrangements forthe making of panoramic or so-called circuit photographs which show animage corresponding to 360 degrees, or any lesser angular portion, ofthe view which extends angularly about a fixed viewpoint which is on theaxis of rotation of the taking apparatus; the apparatus working in acontinuous manner which is however variably controlled as a function ofthe scene illumination. The invention further comprehends an extensionof its principles to such an apparatus for the making of stereo pairs ofsuch views, and to various novel structural features to those ends.

Panoramic cameras are not broadly new, and in prior years considerabledevelopment and use of such cameras was undertaken, through mostly forthe purpose of photographing large groups of people. Little attentionwas paid to the use of such equipment by amateurs or even byprofessional photographers for scenic or art photography. Among thereasons for this desuetude are undoubtedly the fact that such equipmentsas then known were of heavy and cumbersome construction, requiringconsiderable skill in their operation, needing special and expensivefilms, and capable of producing pictures only of very inferiorphotographic quality.

It is accordingly a main object of the present invention to provide adesign of panoramic camera of relatively small, wieldy and compactconstruction, which will use standard commercially available films, andwhich will operate in a simple and reliable manner to make pictures ofsuperior quality, comparable in all respects to those presently producedwith amateur cameras of moderate pnce.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a camera ofthe foregoing type, in which provision is made for the fully automaticadjustment and control of the exposure level, during each circuit orexposure, to allow for the fact that the scene illumination inpractically all subjects, especially those illuminated by natural light,varies significantly in accordance with direction, as well as inaccordance with the prevailing general level of illumination.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thekind mentioned, in which the irregularities of motion necessarilyinherent in toothed gears and other such motion transmissions, arecompletely eliminated; whereby the pictures produced will be free fromthe streaks and stripes which inevitably result from the slight estjerkiness in the camera or film motion.

Briefly, the above and other objects of the invention are attained by aconstruction in which the camera is rotated about an axis which passesthrough the center of a fixed drum within the camera casing, so thatfilm supplied from one reel is drawn, by a continuous wrapping process,across a narrow slit aperture very close to the focal plane of thetaking lens, and thence taken up upon a storage reel. Provisions aremade for the prevention of diffraction effects at the slit aperture, aswell as the eliminations of any multiple-reflection images on the film,and for the pre-setting of a suitable variation range in 3,246,588Patented Apr. 19, 1966 the exposure levels in the various takingdirections; the latter function is achieved by varying the speed withwhich film is passed across the slit, or in the alternative by varyingthe actual diaphragm opening progressively during the circuit, inaccordance with the available light.

The invention will be described herein in connection with certainpreferred embodiments, and alternative constructions thereof, to the endthat the invention may readily be practiced by those skilled in the art;but it will be understood that such details are given by way ofinstruction and not of limitation. The description will best beunderstood by reading the same in connection with the appended drawings,forming a part hereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, largely in horizontal section, illustrating onepreferred form of the panoramic camera of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the relation between thetaking lens and its exposure aperture slit, and the moving film strip.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the structure of FIGURE 2,taken along line 3-3 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view, on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, withparts broken away, of the same camera as shown in FIGURE 1, but to asomewhat larger scale.

FIGURE 5 is a view in elevation of a typical developed film strip,exposed with a panoramic image in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in vertical section, of aportion of the FIGURE 1 structure, showing the speed control means andthe way in which it is modified in its regulatory action during theprogress of one exposure.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic plan view, looking in the direction of arrows 77of FIGURE 6, illustrating the relationship of certain parts thereof.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, in horizontal section, of a formof the invention providing for the taking of stereoscopic pairs ofpanoramic pictures.

FIGURE 9 is a front view or elevation of the camera of FIGURE 8,illustrating the coupled cover-blind controlling arrangement for cuttingoff the rays of both lenses during a film-replenishment phase of thestereo cycle; and illustrating a coupled diaphragm form ofexposuremodulation.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts of the driveand control mechanism of this form of camera, the view being taken alongthe line 1tl-10 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is a schematic view illustrating one form of disposition foran electric drive motor replacing the spring drive of the other formsillustrated.

FIGURES 12 through 15 are schematic views showing the various stages inthe film transport action of the stereo camera.

FIGURE 16 is view similar to FIGURE 5 but of a developed film stripcarrying stereoscopic image pairs thereon.

FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 16, showing a film strip made upof several partial-turn panoramic stereo views.

FIGURE 18 is a schematic view, partly in vertical section taken on line18-18 of FIGURE 19, illustrating a modified electrical control systemfor a stereo panoramic camera arranged to take views of differentlength.

FIGURE 19 is a plan view of the same structure, including a schematicwiring diagram thereof.

FIGURE 20 is a face view of the control knob of FIGURE 18.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the panoramic camera isshown as housed within a casing 10 containg a film supply reel 12 and afilm take-up reel 14 disposed at opposite ends of the casing. The reelsshould be of sufiicient size as to accomodate a film length adequate fora plurality of exposures; using film of standard 35 mm. width, and ataking lens having a focal length of 45 mm. a single 360 degree exposurewill require 28.26 mm. of film length. Thirty meters of such film canreadily be loaded into such a camera without exceeding practical andconvenient size limitations. For reasons connected with the film feedingconstruction, the picture length for one complete circuit of 360 degreeswill always be 2 pi times the focal length of the taking lens.

The fixed-focus lens of the camera is indicated at numeral 16 in FIGURE1, and the film itself at numeral 18. The exposure principle employed isthat of moving the film steadily across an exposure slit which istransverse to thedirection of film motion, said slit lying precisely inthe focal plane of the taking lens. By making the speed of motion of thefilm exactly proportional to the angular speed with which the camera andlens is swung in azimuth (in the case of a horizontal circuit) the slitimage instantaneously transmitted to the film from the lens will alwaysbe stationary on the film. That is, both will be moving at the samespeed so that no relative motion results. This principle is not initself novel, but has heretofore always been accomplished by the use ofreducing gears and the like complicated mechanisms. In the presentinvention, a direct film feeding system is employed, according to whichthe camera itself is caused to swing in azimuth as by a motor, and thismotion of the camera directly (and hence always proportionally) effectsthe film feeding.

To accomplish the proper film feed without respect to the amounts offilm already paid off of or onto the film reels, feeding is accomplishedby a wrapping process involving a stationary drum about whose centralaxis the panoramic scanning motion of the camera is effected.

Thus, in viewing FIGURE 1, it will be necessary to under-' stand thatthe feeding drum 20 remains fixed during the rotation of the rest of thecamera casing 10, the drum being secured to the tripod or other camerasupport in a way to be described. As the remainder of the camera rotatesabout the central shaft 22 of drum 2%, the film i8 is wrapped about thedrum periphery from supply reel 12 (passing across the exposure slit inso doing) and is unwrapped off of drum 20 and passed to the takeup reel14.

The film is prevented from slipping on the periphery of drum 2%) byreason of a rubber or similar frictional coating or layer upon the drum,as indicated at numeral 24. Good contact is further ensured by thepressure rollers 26 and 28 at the respective wrap-on and wrap-offpoints, these being pivotally mounted as on arms 30, 32

' urged towards the drum by respective pressure springs 34 and 36. Thetake-up reel 14 is slightly over-driven by a freely slipping drive beltas well known in other types of cameras, and the supply reel 12 islightly braked to maintain the film taut against slack and to prevent itfrom spilling during transportation of the apparatus. Provisions forboth of these functions will be detailed below. Y

Taking lens 16 is positioned so that its focal plane lies precisely inthe plane of film 18 as it passes from supply reel 12 to. the drum 20.To this end, the film passes over two idler rollers 38 and 40 justrearward of the rear extremity of the lens barrel (which contains theslit-defining parts to be described hereinafter), and these guide thefilm across a pressure pad 42. Thus, as the camera rotates clockwise inFIGURE 1, and bearing in mind that drum 20 remains stationary and thatfilm 18 cannot slide thereon, the film is necessarily drawn from supplyreel 12, across the exposure slit, and about the drum periphery by thewrapping process described; while at the same time, film unwrapping fromdrum 20 across roller 28 is taken up by the over-driven take-up reel 14.It follows that the rate of motion of the film across the 4 exposureslit is directly proportional to the speed with which the camera isrotated as a whole, and the instantaneous image is always stationary onthe element of film being then exposed; this regardless of anyvariations in the speed of rotation of the camera. Such variationsaffect only the duration of exposure of each small strip area of thefilm, and in one form of the invention this exposure variation is turnedto useful account in a manner to be detailed below.

FIGURE 2 of the drawings shows the direct relation of the lens and filmstrip. The lens 16 is again shown as mounted in a conventional barrel,the rear end containing the slit-defining parts which expose only anarrow strip area corresponding to the slit aperture 44, transverse tothe narrow dimension of film 18. FIGURE 3 shows these parts inhorizontal section, including the rear lens barrel fitting 45 having theinclined rear faces 46 and 4-8 to which are secured the slit-definingblades 50 and 52. The latter are fastened by screws such as 54 engagedin enlarged slots in the blades to enable very precise positioning ofthe blades with their internallybeveled slit-defining margins in closelyspaced and accurately parallel positions. For a camera of the typedescribed herein, a slit Width of from /5 to /2 of a millimeter must bemaintained for pictures of good clarity.

It is also necessary that the beveled ends of the blades 50 and 52 havetheir sharp edges 56 in contact with the moving film; these sharp edgesmay thus advantage ously be rounded to a radius of perhaps /50 of amillimeter to avoid any abrasion of the film surface. To maintain a firmbut harmless contact, the pressure pad 42 of sponge rubber or the likeis secured as upon a fixed bracket (iii just behind the slit aperture,and may be faced with velvet as at 62. These precautions aimed atmaintaining contact between the slit edges and the film are required forseveral reasons. Thus, any separation at these points would permitdiffusion of light laterally beneath the blades onto the film,increasing the effective slit width and permitting multiple reflectionexposures, since the film has a finite reflecting power. Also, theseparation would permit diffraction of rays passing the relatively sharpedges defining the slit edges, with consequent additional defocussing ofthe line images at these locations.

It is desirable, for prevention of the lodging of dust particles at theexposure slit, to provide the undersides of the blades 50 and 52 with acoating of pile fabric or the like, as at 64, to physically trap suchdust; such material does not, of course, extend clear up to the slitmargins. The inner surfaces of the lens barrel, fitting 45 and blades 56and 52 will preferably be painted a dull light-asborbing black, to avoidreflected rays, loss of contrast and light ghosts in the image.

With the above general arrangements in mind, certain details of thecamera will now better be understood by referring to FIGURE 4 of thedrawings, which shows the principal parts largely in vertical sectionlooking in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 1. Parts alreadydescribed b-ear the same reference numerals; thus, the casing isdesignated by numeral 10 but is here shown as having a removable topclosure 66 to keep the camera light tight, and the casing also has abottom closure plate 68 and a false bottom 74) which acts also to definea mechanism chamber 72. Numeral 74 designates a fixed support for thecamera, being for example fastened to the head of a tripod of usualform. The lower end of the central shaft 22 of drum 20 is fixed in aclamp plate 78, and an exposure-controlling cam 76 (to be described) isfixed between the support 74 and clamp plate 78 which is threaded into asocket in the support 74 as at 80. The entire camera casing 20 is freelyrotatable about theshaft 22.

Rotation of the housing 20 is accomplished in response to the tension ofa spiral spring 84 having its inner end secured to shaft 22 and itsouter end a fixed t0 he gear wheel 86 rotatable on shaft 22 and meshedwith a winding gear 88 journalled in the bottom plate 68 by a shaft 90,to which a winding key 92 is connected. A ratchet and pawl indicated at94 serve to prevent reverse rotation of the winding gear 88, androtation of the camera casing about shaft 22 is prevented by engagementof a stop pin 96 (on a release lever 98) in a recess 96' of clamp plate78. The stop can be released by the lifting of lever 98 against itsbiasing spring 100 as by a Bowden cable inserted in fitting 102 in aknown manner, to initiate rotation of the casing such rotation will thencontinue until the stop pin 96 engages a blocking arm 97 secured inadjusted position on clamp plate 78, as by screw 99. It will beunderstood that while, in the equivalent clockwise drive, the shaft 22would be caused to rotate in casing 10, the fact that the shaft is heldfixed in the present construction requires that the casing itselfrotate, because of the reaction of the spring tension through gears 86and 88 upon the winding shaft 90.

The apparent or relative rotation of shaft 22 within casing is alsoimparted to a pulley 104 fixed to said shaft, and connected by a crossedspiral spring or similar belt 106 to a pulley 108 fast on the shaft 110journalled in plates 68 and 70. The portion of this shaft extendingabove plate 70 is squared to receive in driving engagement the take-upreel 14, and the ratio of the pulley sizes is chosen to ensure adequatetake-up of the film 18 as the camera is allowed to rotate. Aspring-urged braking force is applied to the squared shaft 112 whichcarries supply reel 12, by mechanism of a kind well known of itself,including a helical spring 114 compressed between a collar 116 fixed onshaft 112 and a friction washer 118 engaging the plate 70.

Regulation of the speed with which the motor spring 84 is allowed torotate the camera is accomplished by a governor mechanism including aworm gear 120 connected to shaft 22 and meshing with a coarse-pitch wormshaft 122. In a manner familiar to those acquainted with dicated at 124secured to the mechanism plate 70. The governor mechanism will be betterunderstood by turning now to FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings, which showthe essential parts related to this device in more detail and to alarger scale, and with an arrangement for multiple exposure-controlcams.

The speed governor shaft 122 carries a pair of flyballs 126 secured tothe usual springs 128, whose free ends floatingly engage a plate or disc130 free to slide along 122. In a manner familiar to those acquaintedwith such governors, increasing speed of shaft 122 forces the flyballsto a path of greater radius, and this shortens the springs'128 in theaxial direction, so that the disc 130 is caused to slide to the left inFIGURE 6. A brake shoe 132 of frictional material is disposed adjacentthe face of the disc, as by being mounted upon a cranked pivot arm 134journalled on a bracket 136. The normal positionof the brake shoe 132 isdefined by the tension of a spring 138, it being understood that theposition of the brake shoe establishes the governed speed of shaft 122for the reason that as disc 130 touches the shoe with more and morepressure, the disc is thereby slowed down, and therefore returns towardits former position corresponding to the desired speed of shaft 122.Crank arm 134 extends through a hole in governor frame 124 and plate 70,the same being light trapped as by a bafile 140 carried by the arm;beyond its pivot point, arm 134 extends also through a hole in plate 68,and carries at its lower bent end a follower wheel 142 urged against thecam plate (76) clamped between fixed support 74 and a fixed clamp plate78' generally similar to plate 78 already described.

Thus, the governed speeds of shafts 122 and 22 are established by theposition of crank arm 134 about its pivot, and this is established bythe radius of cam plate 76, which is profiled to give a suitableexposure at the various azimuthal positions taken up by the cameraduring its circuit. The correst profile can easily be obtainedexperimentally, as against photometer or exposure-meter readings for atypical circuit scene for a few angles, with interpolation of the camshape along a smooth curve therebetween. Since the factor of totalgeneral illumination can readily be established by an ordinary meterreading, and the diaphragm of lens 16 set accordingly, a single cam 76will give the proper relative changes for a considerable variety ofscenes. However, as particularly shown in FIGURES 6, a set of severalcams including cams 144 and 146 may be carried between elements 74 and78', the one selected being installed in the top position (as at 76) andthe others remaining idle. It is also quite feasible to provide ineffect a cam of variable profile, as by using in place of follower wheel14?. a much wider wheel able to span the edges of several camssuperposed in the same way shown in FIGURE 6. Such a wide roller willthen be governed as to position by that cam which momentarily presentsthe largest radius, and by manually varying the angular relationship asamongest several such cams, in setting up the camera, any desiredprofile can readily be realized.

FIGURE 5 of the drawings indicates the appearance of a typical completepanoramic photograph as produced in the camera described above, afterhaving been developed and otherwise completely processed for viewing orprojection. In this example, the directions inwhich the lens was pointedduring different parts of the complete 360-degree exposure have beenmarked by the directional letters N, E, S and W, the exposure at eachpoint having been automatically adjusted by means of the cam and speedcontrol system described, so that a suitable film exposure resultednotwithstanding the considerable diffetences in illumination of thescene in those directions.

The purpose of adjustably positioned blocking arm 97 is to permit themaking of pictures having a length less than that corresponding tonearly a full circle; for example, having lengths corresponding to 270degrees, degrees, or even intermediate values. Thus, as clearly shown inFIGURE 6A, the upper surface of clamp plate 78 actually contains amultiplicity of the holes or recesses 96, and the peripheral edge ofthis plate has a corresponding plurality of recesses to receive thescrew 99 and thus enable blocking arm 97 to be positioned just besideany selected one of the holes 96'. To make a picture of full length, arm97 will be positioned at the particular hole 96' engaged by pin 96, butfor a shorter length picture, it will be positioned at a hole 96 forexample, as shown in FIGURE 4, 180 degrees away from the pin 96. Then'when the Bowden cable lifts pin 96 out of the starting hole, the camerawill continue to rotate until pin 96 is struck by arm 97 a half turnlater, stopping the exposure at the half-length position. When theBowden cable is released after the camera stops, pin 96 will fall intothe adjacent hole 96' and the camera thus locked. Larger and smallerangles of camera rotation, and corresponding picture lengths, areobtained by using the other positions of arm 97, in an entirely obviousmanner.

While the description has been directed to one form in which it is thecameras rotational speed which is altered (by the cam configuration) toobtain the desired variation in film exposure level, it will be obviousthat such a cam, or cams, can equally Well be caused to vary thediaphragm opening, leaving the speed at a fixed and constant value. Itis also feasible to employ a direct and continuous reading of theillumination value, as by known types of photoelectric exposure meters,and to use the output of such a device for the adjustment of thediaphragm opening from point to point, or even for the control of thecamera speed; the latter procedure will eliminate the necessity for thecams and the mechanism controlled thereby. However, the form disclosedherein is preferable for good results at minimum cost. The variationsjust mentioned are illustrated structurally in connection with a secondembodiment of the camera to be described below.

It is also easily conceivable that the periodic adjustment of thecontrolling position of crank lever 134 could be accomplished manually,in accordance with the judgement of the user or his interpretation ofexposure meter readings made as usual in the respective directions. Inthe case of. diaphragm control (as opposed to speed control), it will besimpler in most cases to employ a flexible control cable such as aBowden cable to transmit the camming actions to the diaphragm location,most usually at the lens 16 and hence rather more remote from the camposition than is the spring drive motor in the form shown. In general,of course, control of the diaphragm will require a cam of differentprofile from that employed in the case of camera speed regulation.

In the foregoing description, and in the claims, the reference to thetaking in different directions is not intendedto limit the invention topanoramic views in the horizontal plane, as they can equally well betaken in a vertical plane (especially useful for tall buildings,monuments and the like) or even at intermediate inclinations. In suchcases, the angular extent may if desired be limited to 180 degrees, 120degrees, or what ever angle is re quired to cover the subject ofinterest, and the invention permits excellent results without thenecessity of retiring to an inordinate distance, as is required withconventional cameras.

Stereoscopic embodiment By adding to the mechanism a second taking lens,spaced from the first one, and providing suitable arrangements forpreventing the overlapping of images, a novel stereoscopic panoramiccamera is produced; that is, one which produces on the film a pair ofpanoramic pictures, suitable for viewing in an appropriate streoscope orfor projection, the pictures being related to the individual spacedviewpoints represented by the spacing of the taking lenses.

This variation of the invention is illustrated in FIG- URES 8 to 11 ofthe drawings, and reference is first made to FIGURE 8, in which the samenumerals have been employed for elements that are identical with thosealready mentioned. Thus, there are shown a taking lens 16 as before, anda second taking lens 17 which may be a duplicate thereof, the focallengths being related to the diameter of the feeding cylinder or drum 28as already described. Pressure pads 42 and 43 are provided at bothexposure points, and of course duplicate slit constructions such asheretofore detailed. Numerals 26 and 28 again designate auxiliaryrollers for maintaining the film taut about stationary drum 20, buttheir pressure springs, and other obvious parts, have been omitted fromthis view. Matters are arranged so that, prior to commencement of eachexposure, fresh unexposed film has been wound from supply reel 12 inamount sufiicient to fill the storage reservoir defined by a pluralityof rollers 150 mounted between the two lenses. For pictures of maximumlength, say about 25 cm. each, the rollers define a serpentine path ofthat length as shown in full lines about the rollers 158. At the startof an exposure, both lenses are opened and as casing 11 rotates, thefilm is caused to feed onto take-up reel 14 as already de scribed, eachlens continously exposing the slit images corresponding to the spacedstereo viewpoints. Lens 17 exposes film being drawn from reel 12, whilelens 16 exposes the fresh film wound about rollers 15%.

As the exposures continue, the film exposed by lens 17 passes aboutrollers 158 and hence into the reservoir, while that exposed by lens 16is drawn about drum 2% and ultimately passes to the take-up reel 14. Atthe finish of one turn of the camera motion, for a 25 cm. picturelength, the film now in the reservoir has all been exposed, by lens 17,so it is necessary to provide sufficient additional film feed to drawall of this exposed film also past lens 16, but with both lenses closed,before the next exposure cycle can commence. To this end, provision ismade for a second and idle rotation of casing 11 in the same direction,but with automatic provision for the capping of both lenses. In the caseof pictures desired to be shorter than a full turn, or shorter thanabout 25 cm. in our example, the idle rotation will follow a group ofshorter pictures totalling 360 degrees through each lens, in thisparticular form of the invention.

Referring to FIGURES S and 10, fixed shaft 22 in this embodiment alsocarries a toothed gear 152 meashing with a second gear 154 having twicethe diameter of gear 152, and the shaft of this second gear has affixedto it a cam 156 of which one half the periphery has a smaller radiusthan the other half, as clearly shown in FIGURE 8. Thus, during one(taking) rotation of casing 11, the part of cam 156 having the smallerradius positions a cam roller 158 on a long lever 160 (pivoted at 162 tothe casing) to the right of the position as seen in FIG- URE 8. Lever160 thus also lies to the right, in which position its forward end 162positions a bar 164 (see FIGURE 9) so that simple capping shutters 166and 168 (see FIGURE 9) for the respective lenses are opened. At the endof one turn of the camera casing (during which the picture is taken) thecam 156 will have made a half turn and its larger radius portion willcause lever 168 to move to the left, as illustrated in FIGURE 8, againstthe tension of spring 178, closing the shutters during a second rotationof the camera casing.

The operating cycle can be followed from the schematic section of FIGURE10, taken on line 10-10 of FIGURE 8. Assuming fresh film to be inposition ready for exposure by each lens, a Bowden cable releaseconnected to fitting 172 will lift lever 174 against the tension ofspring 176, disengaging pin 178 from clamp plate 78 and allowing thecamera to rotate under the torque of spring motor 84, pin 178 riding onplate 78 when the cable is released. The capping shutters will be open,and indeed are normally open when the camera. is carried about, as onlya very short length of film will thus be fogged, which short length willlie between the actual pictures. As the camera rotates, the two pictureswill be taken progressively. The Bowden cable need not again be releasedafter the complete taking turn, because as soon as the highest part ofcam 156 engages roller 158 after the completion of the taking rotation(this position being shown in FIGURE 8), the lever 168 will bepositioned as in FIGURE 10, its shoulder 180 holding lever 174 in thespring-releasing condition so that the necessary idle turn ensues.During the idle turn, the capping shutters will be closed and fresh filmfed into the reservoir at rollers 150. The idle turn will be terminatedwhen the low part of the cam arrives at roller 158, and of course atthis point the pin 178 drops into the recess in the top of plate 78.

While the above description covers the operation for the taking of twostereo-paired views each of a full turn, or about 360 degrees, it willbe obvious that several shorter views can equally well be made, bymanually stopping the camera before the first full turn is completed, atone or more points, after each of which the camera is aimed at a newscene. When one full set of pictures totalling one camera turn has beentaken in this way, the idle turn will ensue automatically as alreadydescribed.

FIGURES 7, 9 and 10 additionally illustrate a modification of theexposure regulating arrangements, in that instead of the control cam 76operating on the camera film speed, it operates on adjustable lensdiaphragms of known kind. In FIGURE 9, lenses 16 and 17 have the usualiris diaphragms having control rings 196 and 198, connected at 199, andone of these rings has also an operating finger 208 connected to thecontrol wire of a Bowden cable 202. The Bowden cable terminates (inFIGURE 10) with its operating headpiece in contact with a roller armfollower 204 contacting the periphery of cam 76, being urged against thecam by a spring 206. In this way, both diaphragms will be opened andclosed in synchronism as the camera rotates, and to the extent requiredby the cam configuration, or by the other ex posure-rnodulating controlif provided as suggested above.

The apparatus as described for stereo sets of pictures may howeverinclude the same arrangements for control of the exposure level asdescribed in connection with the single-lens embodiment. FIGURE 11 ofthe drawings thus shows the film drum 20 of FIGURES 8 and 10 asenclosing the speed governor gear 120 fixed to shaft 22, the other speedcontrol arrangements being precisely as heretofore described. However,FIGURE 11 also illustrates a modification of the camera drive in whichan electric motor replaces the spring motor, this modification alsobeing applicable either to the single-picture camera or to the stereotype. Electric motor 188 is mounted on plate 70 within drum 20 and isbelted to a pulley 190 on the shaft 122 of the governor, the motorcircuit being controlled by apparatus to be described below.

FIGURES 12 to 15 show various phases of the stereo panoramic filmmotion, for a clear understanding of the sequence. A plain line has beenused to show the film path, and has been marked with small xs where itis exposed by lens 17, and small os where exposed by lens 16. In FIGURE12, fresh film has been treaded from the left hand reel through thecamera and connected to the right hand reel, as shown. In FIGURE 13,just after exposure has commenced, a small length of film has beenexposed by each lens, that exposed by lens 17 being ready to enter thereservoir provided by rollers 150. In FIGURE 14, two complete exposureshave been made, the film exposed by lens 17 filling the reservoir, andthat exposed by lens 16 being partly wrapped about drum 20. The cappingshutters are now closed, and a second complete camera rotation is made,so that all of the film in the reservoir is drawn past lens 16 withoutfurther exposure, leaving the camera ready for a new sequence ofpictures.

FIGURE 16 illustrates a typical exposed and processed film made by thestereo panoramic camera, with successive 360 degree left and right eyeviews which can be viewed by a suitable viewer. Such a viewer willexpose corresponding portions of the two pictures of each pair, with theproper center-to-center distance between those portions.

FIGURE 17 shows, in corresponding alignment with FIGURE 16, the kind offilm strip that would be produced if the camera were stopped during thetaking operation at the 120 and 270 degree positions, and aimed at adifferent subject, then restarted. The left and right lens views stillcorrespond as to each individual scene, but the total 360 degrees motionof the camera for the taking turn of the camera casing is shared bythree different subjects.

Reverting now to the control arrangements for an electric motor drivefor such a camera, it has already been described in connection withFIGURE 11 how tthe electric motor 188 may be positioned and connected todrive the casing about the fixed shaft 22 using a governor as before,but now merely for good speed regulation in view of the batteryoperation of the motor, as desired for portable operation. Turning toFIGURES 18, 19 and 20, the description of this electric motorarrangement will be continued, using for comparable parts the samereference numerals but with a prime mark, as follows.

Motor 188 is belted to gear 152' fast on the fixed shaft 22, so that thecasing will rotate about the shaft 22' by virtue of torque reaction, thesame as in the case of a spring motor. Gear 152' is geared to gear 154'of double its size, to effect a two-to-one reduction in the rotationspeed of gear 154' and hence of the cam 156' secured therewith on stubshaft 210, which extends through the camera bottom plate 68. A manualsetting knob 212 is 18 fixed on a hollow shaft 214 which fits looselyabout shaft 210, and at its inner end has secured to it a second cam216. A ball bearing 218 is placed between cam 216 and the inner surfaceof bottom wall 68, and a spring 219 encircling shaft 214 urges the knobaway from that wall,

but allows the knob to be rotated manually for a purpose to bedescribed. The spring 219 and a friction washer 221 on gear 154' causecam 216 and knob 212 to partake of the rotation of cam 154.

An electrical contact 220, formed by a pair of spring blades, suitablyinsulated from the camera frame, is closed under control of cam 216 whenthe high portion of the latter, amounting to about 180 degrees of itscircumference, contacts an insulated post 222 on one spring blade. Thecapping shutter operating lever is pivoted on the casing as before, andis urged to the right in FIGURE 19 by spring Lever 160' operates asecond pair of contact blades to open and close contacts 224 when thecam roller 158 lies on the high part of cam 156.

Since the camera support or tripod mount at 74 will again be stationarywhile the camera casing rotates about its axle, it is desirable toprevent the conductors from the external battery 192 from wrapping aboutthe tripod. To this end, the camera frame (of metal) is employed as aground return for one side of the motor-battery circuit, and the otherconductor 228 leads to a slip ring 226 insulatively mounted on the fixedplate 78. A spring contact blade 230 also insulatively mounted on wall68 of the camera casing urges its contact pin or brush 232 through abushing in this wall and into contact with the slip ring 226, and theother motor terminal is connected to this blade 230.

Besides an on-oif switch 234 normally at the battery itself, carriedexternally of the camera or hung on the tripod, a safety on-oif Switch236 may be carried on the camera itself, to prevent accidental releaseof the motor during transportation of the camera. Knob 212 has half itsperiphery graduated in angles from zero to 360 degrees, as shown inFIGURE 20, which also indicates a fiducial mark 238 on the casing Wall.

To understand the operation, refer to FIGURE 19, and noting thatcontacts 224 and 220 are in parallel, it will be realized that (assumingthat switches 234 and 236 are closed by the operator), the motor 188will be energized for an ensuing half turn of cam 156' in the directionof the arrow thereon, corresponding to one full turn of the cameracasing due to the two-to-one reduction gearing between cam 156' andshaft 22'. Hence, FIGURE 19 shows the commencement of the idle full turnfollowing completion of a total of 360 degrees of taking. When this idleturn has been completed, cam 156 will have rotated degrees and contacts224 will open. Also, contacts since contacts 220 will then be open, themotor will stop and the apparatus is ready for a subsequent takingrotation. Ordinarily, one or the other (or both) of switches 234 and 236will be then opened by the user.

To initiate a further taking operation, the user moves knob 212 toindicate the desired angular extent of the next photographlet us say 120degrees. This advances cam 216 an angle of 60 degrees (remembering thatthe scale on knob 212 occupies only half its periphery), and closescontacts 220. When the user closes switches 234 and 236, or whicheverone was open, the motor commences to run, and runs until contacts 220are opened by cam 216. The user may then set knob 212 to call for afurther picture or pictures, equal to or more than one full turn of thecamera. When a full turn of the camera has been completed, measured fromthe original starting position, cam 156' Will arrive at the positionshown in FIGURE 19, and will close contacts 234 to cause the motor to beenergized for a full idle turn as required to replenish the film in thereservoir as already described. At the same time, the operation of arm160 to the position shown has closed the capping shutters so that theblank film will not be fogged, also as described herein.

When the idle turn has been completed, the'roller 158' falls onto thesmaller radius of earn 156, contacts 224 open to stop the apparatus, andthe capping shutters open; following which repeated operations of thesame kind can be carried out.

While the invention has been described herein in considerable detail, sothat those skilled in this art may practice the same, it is to beunderstood that such details are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention except as may be required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stereo panoramic camera comprising a casing, a fixed support uponwhich said casing is journalled for rotation, power means for rotatingsaid casing to direct the camera successively in different azimuths, afilm wrap drum in said casing, and film strip supply and take-up reelsin said casing and outside of said drum, the impovement which comprisesa pair of spaced lenses for exposing spaced areas of film fed about saiddrum to the scenic rays transmitted by the respective lenses, and meansdefining a film reservoir between said lenses to receive film exposedthrough one of said lenses, in an amount greatly in excess of thephysical separation of said lenses.

2. A stereo panoramic camera in accordance with claim 1, in which themeans defining said reservoir comprises a plurality of'spacedfilm-receiving rollers arranged to define a film path of serpentineconfiguration.

3. A panoramic stereo film strip camera including a pair of lenses, acasing, means for rotating said casing together with said lenses toexpose individual lengthwise portions of a film strip progressively toslit images from spaced viewpoints of a scene being photographed, powermeans for rotating said casing through a predetermined anglecorresponding to twice the length on said film of each of the completeimages produced by said lenses, and means operable automatically uponrotation of said casing through one-half of said angle for capping saidlenses during the remainder of such rotation, to avoid undesiredexposure of film sections traveling past the lenses toward positionsrequired to be reached for a subsequent set of exposures.

4. In a stereo panoramic camera including strip film feeding means andseparate lens systems for progressively exposing spaced portions of afilm strip to stereo panoramic views, means responsive to the extent offilm feed for capping said lens systems upon completion of the feedingof an extent of the strip corresponding to the space between saidportions to provide adjacent non-overlapping stereo views on said strip,means responsive to said last-named means for initiating a further filmfeeding operation to draw unexposed film past one of said lens systemsin perparation for the taking of subsequent views, and means responsiveto the said further feeding of an amount of film corresponding to thespace between said portions for terminating film feed and opening saidcapping means.

5. A stereo panoramic camera in accordance with claim 4, in which saidstrip film feeding means is an electric motor, and in which both of saidresponsive means are constituted by contacts in the control circuit ofsaid motor, and cam means operated by said motor for operating saidcontacts.

6. A stereo panoramic camera in accordance with claim 4, and manuallysettable means for selectively interrupting the feeding of such film ata selected point in advance of the operation of said first responsivemeans.

7. A stereo panoramic camera in accordance with claim 6, in which saidmanually settable means includes a control knob operably connected witha contact-controlling cam, and in which the film feeding means includesan electric motor controlled by said cam.

8. In a stereo camera including strip film feeding means and lens meansfor progressively exposing spaced portions of a film strip to stereopanoramic views, means responsive to the extent of film feed for cappingsaid lens means upon completion of a certain predetermined extent of thestrip, and means responsive to said last-named means for initiating afurther film feeding operation to draw unexposed film into position forthe taking of subsequent views.

References ited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN M. HORAN,Primary Examiner.

1. A STERO PANORAMIC CAMERA COMPRISING A CASING, A FIXED SUPPORT UPONWHICH SAID CASING IS JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION, POWER MEANS FOR ROTATINGSAID CASING TO DIRECT THE CAMERA SUCCESSIVELY IN DIFFERENT AZIMUTHS, AFILM WRAP DRUM IN SAID CASING, AND FILM STRIP SUPPLY AND TAKE-UP REELSIN SAID CASING AND OUTSIDE OF SAID DRUM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISESA PAIR OF SPACED LENSES FOR EXPOSING SPACED AREAS OF FILM FED ABOUT SAIDDRUM TO THE SCENIC RAYS TRANSMITTED BY THE RESPECTIVE LENSES, AND MEANSDEFINING A FILM RESERVOIR BETWEEN SAID LENSES TO RECEIVE FILM EXPOSEDTHROUGH ONE OF SAID LENSES, IN AN AMOUNT GREATLY IN EXCESS OF THEPHYSICAL SEPARATION OF SAID LENSES.